Many of you have incredible careers. You have done well with your degree program in establishing a way to provide for yourself and your family. You have an incredible home which is a comfort to you and your family. You have started a nice nest egg for the day you pack up the box and head into retirement. There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of the above statements…unless all of that owns you, rather than you owning it.
Even as Jesus-followers when asked, “What’s in your wallet?”, we tend to say, “None of your business.” We like keeping our “stuff” separate from following Jesus. After all, I put in the long hours, got the college degree, bring work home at night, endure the stress of the boss’s pressure. So many times, we fail to see as followers of Jesus, He wants every piece of our life, not just Sunday mornings. We end up having a fatal misunderstanding of a couple of things.
First, we have a misunderstanding of ownership. We approach money and our stuff like it is ours. It’s uncomfortable to discuss our resources in the context of Jesus. But clear biblical teaching reminds us that God owns everything. And you may say, no, I am the one who put in the hours. While true, who gave you the mind, creativity and intellect? Who gave you the hands to do the work? Who has blessed you with a family that supports you as you work? Well, God of course. He’s blessed us with all those things.
So we approach stewardship of our resources and money management with an understanding of who it all belongs to and then it becomes easier to grasp. If we concede that God truly has ownership, the rest becomes more comfortable to talk about. And the Bible is full of reminders.
Moses says in Deuteronomy 10, ““Look, the highest heavens and the earth and everything in it all belong to the Lord your God.”. Job is having a dialogue with God about his life situation and God says, “Who has given me anything that I need to pay back? Everything under heaven is mine.” The Psalmist says in Psalms 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.”
In my experience, there always seems to be two questions. The way you ask the question will reveal your heart posture concerning your “stuff” and God. You’ll either ask, “How much of my money (stuff) do I need to give to God?” verses “How much of God’s money (resources) do I keep for myself?”
A second misunderstanding is of lordship. As humans who follow Jesus, there are parts of us that want to hold back things from God. We hold back our finances, our relationships, our sexuality, our work and hobbies. We really want to be in control. But Jesus is not only our Savior, He’s also our Lord. God has rights to everything in our life. He owns it all. If you are a follower of Jesus, then you said, “yes” to his Lordship when you began to follow him.
So in every facet of our life, every piece of it belongs to God. Do a self inventory. Do some honest self-reflection. Where is God when it comes to your finances, your resources, your work environment, your parenting, your marriage, your internet browser history, your hobbies, your relationships? Jesus said if anyone would follow me, they must take up their cross daily and follow. Where ever you are in life, God owns everything. Live in such a way that your life reveals that truth. Blessings on the journey.